Expert: Rod Powers - 9/9/2009

Question
Hello,
My Husband is currently on TDRL. He was put on TDRL with a 40% percentage a year ago. He is supposed to be up for re-evaluation in little less than two months. My question is this: when he goes to his re-eval can he request to be put back on active duty? I have gotten mixed answers. I am pushing him to go back but he does not think its possible. I also would like to know if he DOES get discharged when he is re-evaluated is it an honorable discharge? And will we (his family) keep our insurance benifits thru tricare? Or will we lose them?
If he is let back on to active duty what are the steps that will have to be taken? He joined in 2006 and signed for 5 years. he has a little less than a year left and would like to re-inlist for another two.
Thank you in advance for your answer

Answer
Hi Haleigh,

When he is re-evaluated, one of three things can happen:

(1) He can be returned to active duty

(2) He can be medically discharged or retired

(3) He can be extended on the TDRL (up to a total of 5 years, at which time he must either be returned to active duty or medically separated or retired).

His preferences really don't enter into it -- it's a medical decision. The medical authorities decide whether or not he is medically able to perform military duties, and meet the requirements for world-wide deployment availability.

The difference between medical separation and medical retirement depends primarily on any disability rating he receives during the evaluation. If he stays at 40%, it would be medical retirement, and he would continue to receive his monthly pay (for life), and Tricare.

If he's rated with a disability of less than 30%, (and he's not returned to active duty), he would be medically separated. In that case, he would not receive any benefits from the military, but -- if his medical condition was caused by military service, he *may* be eligible for medical care (for him, not family members) and possible monthly disability compensation from the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). You can visit their website at http://www.va.gov

You also might want to read my article about medical separation and retirement at: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/theorderlyroom/a/medseparation.htm

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com